This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Clippers: This is the rare instance where I want to avoid both defenses in one game. Los Angeles is the obvious one, as they rank second in defensive efficiency and fourth in points allowed (97.1 PPG). Detroit is the underrated defense though, as they've been dominant at home. In fact, they rank first in both points allowed (88.7 PPG) and defensive efficiency in their home building this season. This could very well be the low-scoring game of the night and is extremely unattractive for DFS purposes.
Offense to Use:
Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets: Brooklyn is becoming the best team to exploit for DFS production and it's easy to see why when you look at their pace and recent defensive form. The Nets are currently allowing the second-most points in the NBA and also rank second in total pace. The recent form is what's most exciting about playing against them though, as they have allowed 111 or more points in six straight games and are allowing 120 points per game in that span. Indiana also has some undervalued players in terms of price, with no player costing more than $8,000.
Teams on Back-to-Back Set:
First Game: Grizzlies, Heat, Hornets, Knicks, Pistons, Spurs, Thunder, Timberwolves, Warriors and Wizards
Second Game: None
Kemba Walker, CHA at NYK ($7,900):Kemba Walker in Madison Square Garden is enough motivation for me, but his recent form is what truly makes him a good play.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid:
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Clippers: This is the rare instance where I want to avoid both defenses in one game. Los Angeles is the obvious one, as they rank second in defensive efficiency and fourth in points allowed (97.1 PPG). Detroit is the underrated defense though, as they've been dominant at home. In fact, they rank first in both points allowed (88.7 PPG) and defensive efficiency in their home building this season. This could very well be the low-scoring game of the night and is extremely unattractive for DFS purposes.
Offense to Use:
Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets: Brooklyn is becoming the best team to exploit for DFS production and it's easy to see why when you look at their pace and recent defensive form. The Nets are currently allowing the second-most points in the NBA and also rank second in total pace. The recent form is what's most exciting about playing against them though, as they have allowed 111 or more points in six straight games and are allowing 120 points per game in that span. Indiana also has some undervalued players in terms of price, with no player costing more than $8,000.
Teams on Back-to-Back Set:
First Game: Grizzlies, Heat, Hornets, Knicks, Pistons, Spurs, Thunder, Timberwolves, Warriors and Wizards
Second Game: None
Kemba Walker, CHA at NYK ($7,900):Kemba Walker in Madison Square Garden is enough motivation for me, but his recent form is what truly makes him a good play. The star point guard has surpassed 40 fantasy points eight times in his last 10 games and has scored at least 48 fantasy points in four of those. Walker actually made a name for himself by rolling Uconn through the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden and there's something special about him when he steps under those lights. This matchup is a great one too, with the Knicks ranking as one of the worst defenses in the NBA.
Jrue Holiday, NOP at POR ($6,700): Holiday recently made a return from dealing with some family issues and he's playing some motivated ball in his revival. Not only is he averaging over 33 fantasy points a game, he's done that damage in limited minutes. Now that he has four games under his belt, he may be ready to reach the 30-minute threshold for the first time all season. What truly makes this a great play is the matchup, however, with Portland allowing 120 points per game across their last 10 contests.
Monta Ellis, IND vs. BRK ($5,200): Ellis has not given us a reason to use him, but there's reasons to believe he can be successful Friday. The biggest is the matchup, as he faces a Brooklyn team that has allowed the most fantasy points to guards this season. In addition to that, the Nets play at one of the fastest paces in the league, which should also benefit Ellis. The price also makes him intriguing, as he's shown the ability to be a $7,000 talent in the past. While this is a risky play, it could pay huge dividends if Ellis heats up.
Paul George, IND vs. BRK ($8,000): Let's build off of our Brooklyn stack with the best Indiana option. While he has dealt with some injury issues over recent weeks, George has still been a dominant player. In fact, George is averaging over 42 fantasy points across his last five games. As discussed before, this is a matchup play. Brooklyn not only play at an incredibly fast pace, they have allowed 124 points in four of their last five games. This price is fantastic as well, with George matching the potential of many $10,000 players. With a couple days off, he should be fresh and ready to destroy this terrible defense.
Ryan Anderson, HOU at SAC ($4,700): Anderson has really struggled over recent weeks, but it's making his price extremely enticing. In his prime, Anderson was a double-double machine, who could drop 30 points whenever he got hot from distance. He still has that sort of capability and could take advantage here in this matchup. The Kings have allowed the fifth most fantasy points to power forwards this season and they've struggled all year long to cover sharpshooters. This is yet another play with huge upside and limited downside.
DeMarre Carroll, TOR at MIL ($3,600): Carroll is coming off his best game of the season and the price doesn't reflect his breakout. He's been dealing with injuries on and off and it's really hurt his numbers, but his last two games have been impressive, as he has over 68 combined fantasy points in that span. The minutes are what's most encouraging, as he played 70 minutes in those two games as well. Someone with that much playing time is a good choice at $6,000, let alone $3,600, and the matchup is spectacular with Milwaukee allowing the third most fantasy points to small forwards this season.
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC vs. HOU ($9,900): Cousins is an easy selection on any given night, but he's a can't-miss against Houston. The Rockets play at an above average pace and are historically known for their poor defense. Cousins won't have any issues abusing them again either, as he has scored at least 46 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games. In addition to that, he scored over 55 fantasy points four times in that stretch, so it's amazing that Cousins is still just a four-figure player which is a value that makes him near impossible to pass up.
Myles Turner, IND vs BRK ($6,500): This is the final Indiana piece of our Brooklyn stack and Turner may have the most upside of any of the options. While he's yet to go off since the opening week, Turner is still averaging over 31 fantasy points a game. Turner is also one of the most athletic bigs in the league and a matchup against the blistering Nets could lead to a gluttony of stats. The $6,500 price tag is great as well, as 5X value should be the floor in this matchup.
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN vs. OKC ($4,800): Nurkic has been playing some great ball recently and it appears he's secured the majority of center minutes in Denver. Nurkic has played at least 25 minutes in three of his last four games and scored at least 35 fantasy points in two of those. Nurkic is the type of player who thrives in matchups against feisty bigs and there may be no more feisty center than Steven Adams, which should make Nurkic even more useful in this matchup and it makes him a great value.
